Harald III "Hardrada" "the Severe" SIGURDSSON, KING

                   Harald  gathered 600 men and joined his brother, St. Olaf, in Sweden, after Olaf left Russia.

Harald fought and was badly wounded at the Battle of Stiklestad, where  St. Olaf was killed.  However, Jarl Ragnvald Brusason hid Harald while he healed and then helped him escape Norway.  Harald made his to Sweden.  Then in Spring, 1031, Harald and Ragnvald sailed to to King Jarisleif's court, in Russia.

Jarisleif put Ragnvald's son, Ellif, and Harald in charge of his land defenses.  They stayed in Russia for many years.

Then Harald sailed to Greece and Constantinople.  Harald then entered into the service of the Byzantine Empress Zoe the Great.  Many men gathered to him, as their leader, especially the Varings (Vikings?). He fought the Corsairs.  He also conquereed 80 Saracen castles in Africa.

Harald was in Africa for several years.  He sent much of the booty that he gained to King Jarisleif for safe-keeping.

Harald also conquered four powerful castles in Sicily.  The first, he conquered by having his men capture birds that nested in the castle and tie little sticks of wood to them, which they lit of fire.  The birds then flew back to the castle and set it on fire.

Harald conquered the second castle by digging a tunnerl underneath it with some of his troops, while the rest of his troops acted as a diversion.  Many of his men then went through the tunnel and came up inside the castle.

Harald conquered the third castle by having his men play before it, without arms, until the castle guards were lulled into a false sense of security and left the gate open and unattended by armed men.

Harald became ill while assaulting the fourth castle.  Eventually, his men told the people of the castle that Harald had died and asked to bury him in the city.  The residents of the city agreed.  The gate was opened for the burial and Harald's men attacked and sacked the city then.

Harald always granted quarter to everyone, he conquered, who asked for it.

After that Harald returned to Constantinople.  He and his men then marched to Jerusalem.  His reputation alone was enough to cause everyone in Palastine to surrender to him.  Then Harald made his devotions at Jerusalem.  He also destroyed several robber bands in the area.

When Harald returned to Constantinople, he heard that Magnus was King of Norway and decided to return home.  However, the Empress Zoe became angry with him for wanting to leave.  She and the Emperor Constantinus Monomachus had Harald thrown in prison.  However, St. Olaf came to Harald, in vision, while he was being led to prison, and promised to assist him.  St. Olaf then came to woman, in a vision, that he had formerly healed,  and told her to rescue his brother.  She helped Harald escape from the prison.  (Afterward, there was a chapel built to St. Olaf where Harald had seen him.)  Harald then went to his men. They then captured the Emperor.  Harald then, personally, put out both the Emperor's eyes.  Harald and many of his men then escaped from Constantinople.

Harald returned to Novgorod where he stayed all Winter, 1045.  He retrieved his treasures from King Jarisleif.  Harald had more wealth than any man in the Northern lands had ever had before.

In Spring, 1045, Harald left Novgorod and set out for Norway.  When Harald arrived in Sweden, he formed an alliance with Svein Ulfson. Then Harald and Svein sailed, with a force, to Denmark and invaded it.

When Magnus heard of this, he gathered a force to fight in Denmark. First, though, envoys passed between Magnus and Harald.  Then the two kings agreed a treaty whereby each would rule half of Norway and split their moveable property between them.

Even before he found out about the treaty, Svein grew angry with Harald and tried to have him murdered in his bed.  However, Harald was expecting it and put a board in his bed, while he slept elsewhere. After the murder attempt was made, Harald told his men and they sailed to Norway.

Then Magnus made Harald his Co-King of Norway, with the condition that when they were together, Magnus would be supreme.  This was confirmed by a Thing, the next day.  Then Harald hosted a feast at which he divided his treasures with Magnus.

In Spring, 1047, Harald and Magnus sailed, with a force, to Denmark, to oppose Svein Ulfson.  While in Denmark, Magnus became sick and died.  However, before he died he ordered that Svein should have Denmark.

Harald wanted to take Denmark for himself, but so many men in his army wanted to take Magnus home for burial, instead, that Harald was forced to put his desire on hold and return to Norway.

In Summer, 1048, Harald gathered a force and returned to Denmark where he ravaged the coasts until Fall.  Harald ravaged the coasts of Denmark every summer, after that, for many years.  In 1049, Svein almost caught Harald with a greater force, in a Jutland fjord,, but Harald and his ships escaped.

"King Harald was a great man, who ruled his kingdom well in home-
concerns.  Very prudent was he, of good understanding; and it is
the universal opinion that no chief ever was in northern lands of
such deep judgment and ready counsel as Harald.  He was a great
warrior; bold in arms; strong and expert in the use of his
weapons beyond any others, as has been before related, although
many of the feats of his manhood are not here written down.  This
is owing partly to our uncertainty about them, partly to our wish
not to put stories into this book for which there is no
testimony.  Although we have heard, many things talked about, and
even circumstantially related, yet we think it better that
something may be added to, than that it should be necessary to
take something away from our narrative.  A great part of his
history is put in verse by Iceland men, which poems they
presented to him or his sons, and for which reason he was their
great friend.  He was, indeed. a great friend to all the people
of that country; and once, when a very dear time set in, he
allowed four ships to transport meal to Iceland, and fixed that
the shippund should not be dearer than 100 ells of wadmal.  He
permitted also all poor people, who could find provisions to keep
them on the voyage across the sea, to emigrate from Iceland to
Norway; and from that time there was better subsistence in the
country, and the seasons also turned out better.  King Harold
also sent from Norway a bell for the church of which Olaf the
Saint had sent the timbers to Iceland, and which was erected on
the Thing-plain.  Such remembrances of King Harald are found here
in the country, besides many great gifts which he presented to
those who visited him."  (Saga of Harald Hardrada Part 1)

Harald was always a very proud man, but this became a problem after he became King.  It got to the point where it was not safe to speak against him or propose anything different from what he wanted.

However, Einar Tambeskelfer would not put up with this and they quarelled.  Einar then took to having many men with him when he was near Harald.  Harald saw this as a threat.  Eventually, one of Eindride Einarson's men was caught stealing in Throndheim.  Einar and his men took this man from Harald's men.  A thing was called to reconcile Einar and Harald, but Harald had both Einar and Eindride killed.  Many people hated Harald for this because Einar was very popular.

Fin Arneson was able to bring about the reconcilation by agreeing that King Magnus' daughter, Ragnhild would marry Hakon.  However, Ragnhild would not marry a man who had no title and Harald would not make Hakon a jarl because he already had one.  Both Hakon and Fin felt that Harald had broken his word.  Hakon then went to Denmark and became the commander of King Svein's coast defenses and received great fiefs from Svein..

After a while, Hakon and Svein had a falling out.  Hakon then returned to Norway.  Orm was dead at this time and Harald made Hakon his jarl. Then Hakon was able to marry Ragnhild.

Then Harald let Kalf Arneson come back into the country and made him his lenderman with all of his forrmer holdings and power.

Harald founded a merchant town just east of the old Oslo.  This became the modern town of Oslo.

In Winter, 1062, Harald sent a message to Svein to meet him, in battle, at the Gaut River, in Denmark, in Spring.  Harald said that the victor would rule both kingdoms.  When Harald arrived, Svein was not there.  So, Harald sent part of his army home and ravaged the country with 150 ships.  A little while later, Svein came upon them with 300 ships, at the Nis River.

The Battle of Nis River began late in the day and lasted all night. Harald won the battle.  Fin Arneson was captured.  However, Svein abandoned his ship.  He managed to disguise himself and got Hakon Iverson to grant him quarter and order two men to escort him safely to land.

Harald spared Fin's life and let him go.

The following winter, Harald heard that Hakon had spared Svein. Harald then went to Hakon's farm with 900 men, to kill him.  However, one of Harald's men, named Gamal, sent a warning to Hakon.  Hakon then escaped into Sweden.  However, Hakon still sent men to collect his taxes and the Upland people refused to pay them to anyone else.

In Spring, 1064, Harald and Svein finally agreed to a truce to last as long as both of them lived.

In Summer, 1064, Harald took a force to Gautland to fight Hakon Ivarson.  Their forces met when Harald's men were on a hill.  Harald ordered his men to make a noise with their weapons to draw the Gautlanders into attack.  This worked and the Norwegians charged down among them and won the battle.  However, Hakon escaped.

In Winter, 1065, Harald went through: Raumerike, Hedemark, Hadeland, and Ringerike and destroyed much of the bondes' property, in retaliation for their refusal to pay taxes to him.  With this campaign, Harald subdued the bondes to his reign.

After that, Earl Toste came to Harald from England.  Toste was the brother of King Harald Godwinson of England.  Toste thought that he should have had the kingdom, instead of Harald.  He first went to his mother's cousin, King Svein, and asked for aid to conquer England. Svein wisely said no.  Then Toste went to Harald's court and convinced him to invade and conquer England so that Toste might be his governor.

Harald called up a levy of half the able-bodied men in Norway.

Before, he left Norway, Harald had Magnus declared King and made him his regent in his absence.  Harald took Queen Ellisef, his daughters, and his son Olaf with him.  Harald left Ellisef and his daughters in Orkney.

Harald landed at a place called Klifland.  He then made his way through England, plundering and conquering.  He fought a battle at Skardaborg and took that town.  Then he fought a battle at Hellornes, which he won.  (Earl Toste was with Harald on this campaign and many Englishmen joined them.).

Then Harald sailed to the Humber and up the river.  Earls Morukare and Valthiof fought against him there on the Wednesday before St. Mathew's Day, in 1066.  Harald won the battle and Earl Morukare was killed. Earl Vathiof and others escaped to York.  York surrendered to Harald and the leading men gave their sons to him, as hostages.  However, Harald Godwinson came into York, with an army, that night.

The next morning, Harald and two-thirds of his men started walking, from the ships, to York.  (He left the other third with the ships.) It was so hot that they left their mail coats behind because they were not expecting opposition.  Then they saw Harald of England's army coming toward them.  This was an immense army of infantry and calvary.

Before the Battle of Stamford Bridge began, Harald Godwinson rode up and offered to give Toste a third of England if he would desert Harald Sigurdson.  Toste refused, but did not tell Harald Sigurdson that the messenger was Harald Godwinson himself, until he had had ridden away.

The English won the battle.  Harald was killed by an arrow that hit his windpipe.  Almost all of the chief men of Norway were also killed that day.

Immediately, after the battle, Harald Godwinson heard that William the Conquerer had invaded the South of England.  Thus, his forces had to hurry to meet William.  Harald fell at the Battle of Hastings on October 14, 1066.  (William probably would have lost this battle if the English army had not already been weak from fighting the Norwegians and then having to travel so fast to meet him.  It is also ikely that William would have lost and Harald Sigurdson would have won if the order of their arrivals in England had been reversed.  Thus, Harald Sigurdson was almost certainly indirectly responsible for the sucess of the Norman Invasion of England.)

"It was a common observation that King Harald distinguished himself above all other men by wisdom and resources of mind; whether he had to take a resolution suddenly for himself
and others, or after long deliberation.  He was, also, above all other men, bold, brave, and lucky, until his dying day, as above related; and bravery is half victory."  "King Harald was a handsome man, of noble appearance; his hair and beard yellow.  He had a short beard, and long mustaches.  The one eyebrow was somewhat higher than the other.  He had large hands (1) and feet; but these were well made. His height was five ells.  He was stern and severe to his enemies, and avenged cruelly all opposition or misdeed."  However, he was generous to his friends.  (Saga of Harald Hardrada Part 2.)

(1)  The sword handles from that era reveal that most of the men's hands were much smaller than those of modern men.

Harald and his brother Olaf were said to be much alike, by one was a friend of both.



>Burial note: Harald's body was brought back to Norway, a year after he was killed, and buried in Mary Church, in Throndheim, which he built.